Synonyms of wreck

wreck 1 of 2

noun

ˈrek 

1

as in wreckage

the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed

found the wreck of the ship lying on the floor of the ocean

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wreckage
• debris
• rubble
• ruins
• remains
• remnant
• ashes
• detritus
• residue
• flotsam
• junk
• dust
• garbage
• refuse
• litter
• leavings
• scrap
• jetsam
• trash
• rubbish
• waste
• chaff
• dross
• deadwood
• riffraff

2

as in wrecking

the destruction or loss of a ship

the wreck cost the insurance company millions of dollars

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wrecking
• sinking
• shipwreck
• wreckage
• shipwrecking
• stranding
• beaching
• foundering
• grounding
• scuttling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recovery
• salvage
• salvaging

3

as in collision

the violent coming together of two bodies into destructive contact

a dangerous stretch of roadway that has been the scene of numerous car wrecks

Synonyms & Similar Words

• collision
• crash
• accident
• smashup
• concussion
• crack-up
• smash
• destruction
• pileup
• ruin
• demolishment

wreck

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to scuttle

to cause irreparable damage to (a ship) by running aground or sinking

many an unwary captain has wrecked his ship on the shoals that surround the island

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scuttle
• shipwreck
• strand
• beach
• founder

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recover
• salvage

2

as in to ruin

to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of

most of the furniture on the ground floor was wrecked by the floodwaters

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ruin
• destroy
• demolish
• shatter
• devastate
• smash
• damage
• overcome
• waste
• desolate
• annihilate
• tear down
• extinguish
• total
• decimate
• ravage
• vaporize
• wrack
• erode
• pull down
• pulverize
• cripple
• mar
• cream
• raze
• rub out
• defeat
• kill
• dismantle
• blast
• nuke
• break
• crush
• injure
• best
• do in
• spoil
• harm
• remove
• subdue
• deteriorate
• disintegrate
• impair
• conquer
• prevail (over)
• havoc
• triumph (over)
• master
• rout
• disfigure
• win (against)
• lick
• trim
• dynamite
• surmount
• scotch
• mutilate
• thrash
• sweep (away)
• blow up
• dissolve
• whip
• wear (away)
• vitiate
• deface
• mangle
• obliterate
• wash out
• wipe out
• eradicate
• slaughter
• sack
• scour
• beat
• undo
• plunder
• gut
• disassemble
• loot
• take down
• fell
• blot out
• massacre
• clobber
• cut down
• unmake
• overbear
• murder
• assassinate
• expunge
• despoil
• extirpate
• exterminate
• trounce
• liquidate
• slay
• kill off
• overmatch
• pillage
• skunk
• trash
• dilapidate
• drub
• wallop
• trample
• snuff (out)
• efface
• butcher
• take out
• vandalize
• stamp (out)
• dispatch
• unbuild
• mow (down)
• root (out)
• execute
• zap

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• build
• set up
• construct
• repair
• raise
• fix
• rear
• put up
• create
• erect
• patch
• mend
• make
• found
• produce
• shape
• form
• manufacture
• protect
• invent
• assemble
• save
• establish
• organize
• revamp
• preserve
• mold
• forge
• constitute
• bring about
• frame
• institute
• recondition
• fashion
• rebuild
• fabricate
• doctor
• restore
• reconstruct
• conserve
• father
• renovate
• remodel

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of wreck

Noun

On Monday, the child's grandfather, Alexa Varela, visited a roadside memorial marked with orange balloons and candles at the scene of the wreck. — Joan Murray, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026

The late-night wreck was the third partial closure of the busy Sacramento-area freeway Tuesday. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Verb

Martin insisted that it could be done without schmaltz, but the singer was wary of wrecking their reputation with classical pretensions. — Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026

This may then seem like yet another story about how Trump has wrecked norms and corrupted the rule of law. — James Surowiecki, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026

Phrases Containing wreck

• nervous wreck